Each year, the Center for Student Engagement strives to honor student organizations and student leaders who have made a significant impact on the Volunteer community over the last academic year. The Center for Student Engagement strives to honor students and student organizations who embody the Volunteer spirit and make Rocky Top home sweet home for so many!
A full list of awards and award descriptions can be found below, as well as a link to the Nomination Form.
RSVP Opens HERE March 4th, 2024.
Deadline to RSVP is April 1st.
2023-2024 Student Engagement Awards
Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 4:30pm
Student Union Ballroom (B/C)
Click Here to Nominate: Nomination Form
Student Engagement Awards
Award Categories and Descriptions
Awards for Student Organizations
All registered student organizations with the Center for Student Engagement are eligible for each award listed below, unless indicated in the award description.
Outstanding Commitment to Community Award
Eligibility: Registered student organization
Description: The award honors student organization excellence in creating communities in which all students feel like the matter and belong with the University community and beyond. The award will be given to a registered student organization dedicated to providing a variety of programming and efforts for students to have the opportunity to find belonging on campus.
Outstanding Commitment to Innovative and Creative Programming
Eligibility: Registered student organization
Description: The award honors excellence in the development and implementation of an original program. Recognized programs demonstrate: 1) the growth of students and enhancement of campus life, 2) new ideas, methods or programs that result in improved educational activities or services for the campus community. Both new and revamped programs are eligible for this award.
Outstanding New Student Organization
Eligibility: Registered student organization newly registered with the CSE during 2023-2024 academic year
Description: The new student organization will have demonstrated promise in recruitment, retention, creativity, and teamwork. The organization has made a positive impact on the campus and community in their first year on campus and fulfilled its mission. This honors an organization for developing and implementing improvements in the quality of student life.
Outstanding Academic Student Organization
Eligibility: Registered student organization with a focus or connection to an academic department; includes honor societies for a specific academic discipline.
Description: The award honors a registered student organization whose primary purpose is to provide an opportunity for engagement of students within an academic discipline, major, or career focus. The award honors excellence in creating engagement opportunities within an academic discipline, major, or focus. Engagement opportunities may include, but are not limited to, mentoring programs, professional development, or research. Honor societies for a specific academic discipline are eligible for the award.
Outstanding Student Organization Advisor
Eligibility: Staff or faculty advisor to a registered student organization
Description: The award is designed to honor and recognize a faculty or staff member who serves as an advisor to a registered student organization. The award will recognize an individual for their service, dedication, mentorship, compassion, consistency, and wisdom. Priority is given to nominees who serve as an advisor in a voluntary role and not as part of their role within the University.
Outstanding Organization Excellence Awards
The award recognizes a large, small, or graduate/professional serving student organization that has fulfilled its mission, involved the campus in its purpose, maintains a leadership role on campus, is involved in the campus community, has the ability to accept and overcome challenges, and sustain itself in creative ways. Additionally, the award honors an organization for developing and implementing improvements in the quality of student life and fosters positive change within the university community.
Submitting a nomination for this category, also enters the student organization into the nomination for the 2023-2024 Student Organization of the Year. This award may recognize up to three student organizations per type. Only one organization will win the Student Organization of the Year Award.
- Large Organization (50+ Members)
- Eligibility: Registered student organizations with 50 or more active members
- Small Organization (Less than 49 Members)
- Eligibility: Registered student organizations with 49 or fewer active members
- Graduate Student Organization of the Year
- Eligibility: Registered student organization predominantly serving graduate students
2023-2024 Student Organization of the Year
Description: Recognizes a large, small, new, or graduate/professional student serving student organization that has fulfilled its mission, involved the campus in its purpose, maintains a leadership role on campus, is involved in the campus community, has the ability to accept and overcome challenges, and sustain itself in creative ways. Additionally, the award honors an organization for developing and implementing improvements in the quality of student life and fosters positive change within the university community.
The award recipient is chosen from the nominees for the Outstanding Organization Excellence and the Outstanding New Student Organization awards.
Awards for Students and Student Organization Leaders
All current students (undergraduate or graduate) and student organization leaders at the University of Tennessee are eligible for each award listed below, unless indicated in the award description. Students should be in good conduct standing to receive the award.
Spirit of Tennessee
Description: The award recognizes a current student organization leader for their service, commitment, and contributions to their student organization and the University of Tennessee community. Emphasis should be placed on how well the organization leader has grown and developed as a result of being involved with the student organization. Nominated student organizations leaders should be in good academic and conduct standing with the University.
Rising Student Organization Leader
Eligibility: Undergraduate student in their first or second year at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (can include a transfer student who is in their first or second year at UTK)
Description: The award recognizes a student leaders who has shown tremendous dedication, involvement, and has begun making noteworthy contributions to a student organization or the university community during their short time at the institution. Nominees should be respected by their peers and should demonstrate strong leadership potential.
Outstanding Graduate/Professional Student
Eligibility: Graduate or professional student organization leader
Description: The award recognizes graduate and/or professional students for their service, commitment, outstanding contributions to student life at the University of Tennessee. Additionally, the award recognizes the graduate/professional student who has combined academic achievement and commitment combined with leadership and engagement in the University community. Preference is given to nominated graduate/professional students who are involved in a registered student organization.
Outstanding Executive Board Member
Description: The award honors a member of an executive board of a registered student organization who has gone above and beyond to enhance the purpose of their organization. Whether through acquiring new skills, membership engagement, leadership development, cross-campus collaboration, and relationship building; the executive board member should have a strong commitment to the student organization.
Unsung Hero
Description: The award recognizes a student who has positively influenced a student organization from behind the scenes and with a positive attitude, a willingness to help, and a commitment to excellence.
Outstanding Commitment to Encouraging the Heart
Description: The award honors a student who takes pride in the work they do and spends time encouraging and caring for others. Leaders encourage the heart by infusing hope, care, and determination into hard work and recognize their peers with high praise.